Pale gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Kumquat and lemon, citrus peel, steely minerality, very bright, fuzzy, with lots of dry extract. I enjoy this style and found the contrast between this and the Rivers Thieriot quite stark although the Brewer did take on some weight over time. It really depends on what you're in the mood for or the food pairing.
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Back at the Kenwood with Luis and the team: Less fresh than the 2016 Rivers Marie Thierot that it was paired with. More oak-influenced and less interesting, with a lot of spice on the palate. Overall a less forward California chardonnay that just hits 90 for me.
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Luis Rides Again! (The Kenwood, Minneapolis, MN): Lean and acidic...not really my style of Chardonnay...lots of citrus and tart apple...fruit seems slightly lacking although plenty of acid....I recommend drinking up. 90-91
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Coravin pour. Drinking so well now - the additional age has helped. High viscosity, mineral, apple, spice, and stone fruit. Good length on the finish. In a great spot, and not fading.
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Deepish yellow center, yellow to pale rim. Baked apples, toasty, roasted pineapple, white pepper, some alcohol, flowers. Smooth, rich, roast peaches, apples, stones, good acidity, toasty creamy oak, good length. Excellent Chardonnay, good now, good for another 3+ years.
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Day 1: $20! Best bottle and unfortunately last bottle. Shells, orange peel, spice, apple and lemon zest. Nice minerality on the finish. Balanced and crisp. Good acidity. 93 points Day 2: Minerality, shells, spice, sour apple, lemon and mild Carmel. Wonderful wine. 93 points Recommendation: Seek and find and buy!
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Drinking very well right now as a PnP, similar to my previous notes, heavy on the citrus and mineral flavors, although it’s starting to pick up some age, background butter scotch and caramel. Great value.
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Our last bottle of 12 continues to deliver as all the others did over the last 3 years. Loads of citrus flavors of lemon and grapefruit, toasted walnuts, only a hint of butter, along with stern acidity. This was exquisite with our butter pan-seared scallops. This wine will continue drinking great for many more years.
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Loads of citrus, yellow apple, pear, salty sea shells, vanilla, terrific balance and intensity. Great right now, but should be good for another 3-5 years.
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2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): 4th time I have sampled and at a big tasting event this stood out amongst the Chardonnays due to the balance it possesses. Apple, pear, stone orchard fruits, minerals and lemon rind. Short to medium finish with good acidity. Consistent with other tastings of they wine.
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Mineral, tropical fruit, touch of oak, pineapple, Well balanced with good length on the finish. This went down quick and paired very well with a bacon stuffed acorn squash.
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Another beautiful wine from Sta. Rita Hills. It’s very Chablis like in its bright, floral, saline-infused lemon, pear, and mineral aromas and flavors. Deft use of oak provides just a wisp of Nilla wafer complexity while vibrant acidity gives this a mouthwatering succulence. Really tasty.
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Salmon and Pinot Noir at Rocknrollers (Minneapolis, MN): Day 1: Lemon, spice, mild oak, vanilla and wafer. Good acidity and complex wine. Medium plus finish. 92 points Day 2: Solid with lemon, spice, vanilla, wafer and citrus. Not a powerhouse Chardonnay and certainly not a White Burg but very enjoyable wine. 91 points
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Loads of citrus and minerals, intense yet balanced, very good overall, maybe not quite as good as my previous bottles. Drinking well as a PnP but still has some years ahead of it.
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First Brewer Clifton and I am thinking it is even better than the reviews. No obvious oak or butter. Instead I find a Burgundy mix of mineral driven fruit with some seashell and a hint of smoke. Consistent over three nights without any decant.
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Day 1: Saline, lemon rind, grapefruit and spices. Very simple overall and really disappointed. Palate/finish picks up a bitter quality that is not too appealing. Glad I only bought one bottle. 85 points
Day 2: Why I love the 3 Day Wine Review approach. Paned off as a dude on day 1 this is significantly better on day 2. Vibrant nose of lemon, shell, spice and tangerine. Palate picks up some nice oak/vanilla flavoring and is quite complex. Good acidity and medium plus finish. This would go great with lobster. 91 points Day 3: Beautiful. Lemon, shells, tangerine and orange peel. Chablis like. Medium finish and good acidy. Quite a transformation over day 1 to 2 and 3. Buy this! 92 points Recommendation: If you are drinking this on day 1 hold for 2 to 3 years. If you drink it over 3 days you will see an amazing transformation.
Lots of fruit upfront - pineapple, apple, with a moderate amount of oak. A tad sweet without being cloying. Held up well on second day. Very good QPR. Not my typical style as I prefer RRV, but this was a nice wine, especially at the price point.
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Pnp from magnum. Pours a golden straw color in the glass. Nose and palate are overtly oaky upfront showing hidden notes of lemon, apple and crisp minerals. This is very clearly in a dumb phase right now as it is out of whack, backwards, and never opens up or changes with several hours of time. Sad as this was quite a nice wine last year. Hopefully in another two years this will swing back around.
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Not a Chardonnay fan and normally prefer Chablis style. But this is fantastic. Barely there Chardonnay, creamy but nice tropical fruit profile. Medium body. Enough acidity to cut through fatty fare. Pared w a southern biscuit made w Benton’s bacon and ramp butter. Definitely a repeat!
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There must be some pretty serious bottle variation here, or I got a bad lot that got cooked in shipping. We tried a bottle back in May and really liked it, gave it 93 and a rave review here. I immediately bought more... so far we have had three of them and have been quite disappointed: not a lot of flavor, some astringency. What a shame.
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A lovely mid-weight Chard, full of varietal flavor. Moderate oak, plenty of butter and caramel. This is a real buy at $25 and a crowd pleaser you can serve to anybody at any level. A wonderful lunch wine.
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Dark gold. Nice viscosity and mouth feel. Very well put together rich style CA Chardonnay. Good with a roast chicken. As good as many higher priced wines.
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What a treat to revisit this wine. Last one currently in the cellar and I wanted to confirm my previous notes before possibly getting more. The juice is a bit more nuanced and complex, IMHO, than most CT writers express, but that's what makes wine such a personal experience. Highly recommend, especially if the price is right.
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Another great value chardonnay from SRH. Slightly different than the Wrath I reviewed earlier in that the Brewer Clifton is more toward the citrus side of the grape with single dimension fruit and a bit more acidity. Lemon zest dominates but not in an overpowering way with subtle notes honey, orange, and apricot. A solid value.
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Very good but simple Chardonnay with its straw yellow color and a dominant flavor of lemon zest. Subtle notes of tropical fruits and the slight hint of a buttery note on the finish. Great value for the money.
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Not a rich or buttery Chard, which made it a great pairing with Bob's crab cakes with it's lemon, stone dust minerality and stern acidity on the finish.
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Chardonnays from California represent some of the better values coming from that region, especially the Santa Rita Hills, the Sonoma Coast and the Santa Lucia Highlands, with many more areas to explore. This was our first wine from Brewer Clifton and the results were recorded as "two thumbs up." There was much to like here, especially with an under $30 price tag. Straw to yellow gold in the glass with an expressive nose of tropical fruits, jasmine and a touch of lemon-lime zest. Flavors of green apple, apricot, very slight buttery oak and river rock complemented a rich, medium-full mouthfeel that was big and somewhat acidic without being overpowering. Very well balanced with a slightly salty mineral texture holding in check any fruit forward tendencies ending with a generous, moderately long finish. A wonderful lush wine and an excellent QPR with some aging potential.
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This is a fine Chardonnay. Pale wheat color, clear and bright. Nose of varietal fruit, faint lemon peel, mineral, apricot, barest hint of oak, rich and integrated but not fat. The palate is broad, shows tropical fruit but in a tighter, controlled manner; has richness and minerals both, and really nice length in the finish. My wife gets some butter, I do not. This is my first Brewer-Clifton wine, and it is an impressive introduction.
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Founded In 1995 by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton Blend of 3D, Acin and Machado vineyards. Vineyard Manager: Francisco Ramirez Whole Cluster pressed; spontaneous malolactic fermentation. 12-18 months in neutral Sirugue barrels. Winemaker: Greg Brewer
A(ccuracy)=2: Med straw/gold. Low key citrus floral, yeasty varietal. B(alance) =2: Distinctive components. Bit shy on vibrancy. C(omplexity)=2: Ripe citrus, jasmine, hint of saline minerality. D(epth) = 2: Rich and round.
Delicious and already quite well integrated. There's a varietal essence here that evokes Burgundy. Walks the line well between rich/unctuous and food friendly. Thought this was the second best Chard we tried on our Santa Barbara trip in June (behind only Crawford Family) and it lived up to that here, and then some. 92+
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Gotta say, this is good but it's no 95, JD. Pretty burnished golden yellow. Nose: nice green apple and lemon fruit. Fresh. Even better in the mouth, there is good, full fruit, mainly apple, and the balance is impressive, has good structure and cut. I could see this aging nicely for a few years. Good value at $29, but no way this is a 95-point wine. 4-12-17-8: 91/100.
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A blend of their 3D, Machado, Acin, & Hapgood Vyds, ea lot being handled uniformly but separately; Whole cluster pressed with only neutral barrels employed; "We don’t promote or prohibit malolactic fermentation, allowing wine to be in balance, bright, & elegant." 14% ABV
N: Smoky oak & asparagus, poss with a hint of mercaptans?
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish oak/frt VERY nicely balanced by acidity, leading into a LONG, VERY slightly tangy/swt finish. P currently *much* better than the N. 95 pts Dunnuck, 92 ea WA & Vinous (Galloni), and 91 WE (12/31/17) @ $40. [As of mid Mar '20, wine-searcher still shows numerous sources from $30-$36].
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from magnum. golden color, aromatic nose with lemon/lime and a slight petrol note with time, palate rich/lush but balanced with great acidity, some minerals, I couldn't taste obvious oak but other tasters noted it, easy to drink especially chilled. Really nice, I thought it was well-crafted. 91 pts
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No formal notes on this one. From magnum. Lemon yellow color in the glass. Primary nose and palate of citrus, crushed rock, minerals and lightly toasted oak. Seems like it only went through malo partially. Good acidity and round lush midpalate made this a nice drink in the blistering heat outside this afternoon in LA.
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Being just a baby, this effort certainly provides a lot of pleasure tonight too. The palate of course delivers massive ripe and very elegant fruit with lemon and zest as major components accompanied by beautiful colza and tons of minerals - which actually appears as sandy seaweed when drying up in the sun... Texture and structure is lovely and adds to the overall component. There is enough power here to make this effort age gracefully for a decade or perhaps more. The number one keyword for the palate is balance. Based on experience from previous vintages I am confident integration will come with some rest in the cellar. A lovely wine!
Tasted in a flight with 2009, 2012 and 2015 Brewer-Clifton S:ta Rita Hills Chardonnay.
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Tasted with winemaker, Greg Brewer, at a local wine store. Color is a pale, pale yellow. Intense nose of lemon and citrus. Palate of mandarin oranges, lime juice, and sea salt. Medium finish with a little more fruit than acid.
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Two single sites, dude behind this formalized the AVA. This is about 500 six packs in production, whole bunch pressing. Has that big apricot fruit thing of lots of sunshine on Chardonnay but also remains crisp and tight on the back. May or may not have gone through malo. Generally its only about 5% malo.
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2/9/2023 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Stone and tropical fruit, spice.
Richer in palate for an aged chardonnay.
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11/17/2022 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Pale gold color. Drank a glass over 45 minutes. Kumquat and lemon, citrus peel, steely minerality, very bright, fuzzy, with lots of dry extract. I enjoy this style and found the contrast between this and the Rivers Thieriot quite stark although the Brewer did take on some weight over time. It really depends on what you're in the mood for or the food pairing.
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11/17/2022 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Back at the Kenwood with Luis and the team: Less fresh than the 2016 Rivers Marie Thierot that it was paired with. More oak-influenced and less interesting, with a lot of spice on the palate. Overall a less forward California chardonnay that just hits 90 for me.
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11/17/2022 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Luis Rides Again! (The Kenwood, Minneapolis, MN): Lean and acidic...not really my style of Chardonnay...lots of citrus and tart apple...fruit seems slightly lacking although plenty of acid....I recommend drinking up. 90-91
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10/16/2022 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Coravin pour. Drinking so well now - the additional age has helped.
High viscosity, mineral, apple, spice, and stone fruit. Good length on the finish. In a great spot, and not fading.
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7/21/2021 - mpdonnel Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good central coast chardonnay. Some oak, butter, structure but good fruit. Crowd pleaser.
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4/23/2021 - pdadams66 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Deepish yellow center, yellow to pale rim.
Baked apples, toasty, roasted pineapple, white pepper, some alcohol, flowers.
Smooth, rich, roast peaches, apples, stones, good acidity, toasty creamy oak, good length.
Excellent Chardonnay, good now, good for another 3+ years.
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4/18/2021 - fred o. Likes this wine:
from magnum.
Straw golden color.
Nose lemon oil,
Palate lemon oil, golden fruits, a mineral note.
Still vibrant if a bit generic as a chard -- nonetheless good balance and not overdone. 91 pts
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2/13/2021 - Amresi Likes this wine:
Fantastic. Wonderful with seafood.
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9/21/2020 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Oak on the nose but not really on the palate.
Tropical fruits, mineral, apple.
Not the best pairing with enchiladas.
Different than our usual chardonnay. A nice change of pace.
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9/19/2020 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Day 1: $20! Best bottle and unfortunately last bottle. Shells, orange peel, spice, apple and lemon zest. Nice minerality on the finish. Balanced and crisp. Good acidity. 93 points
Day 2: Minerality, shells, spice, sour apple, lemon and mild Carmel. Wonderful wine. 93 points
Recommendation: Seek and find and buy!
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9/4/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drinking very well right now as a PnP, similar to my previous notes, heavy on the citrus and mineral flavors, although it’s starting to pick up some age, background butter scotch and caramel. Great value.
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9/2/2020 - hutch Likes this wine: 90 Points
I was surprised how fresh and delicious this remains after five years. Quite delicious, with nice acidity and nothing big or clumsy about it at all.
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8/27/2020 - cweiner Likes this wine: 91 Points
Consistent. Great QPR.
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8/17/2020 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Rich yellow in color. Complex and delicious with crushed dried flowers, buttercream and honeysuckle. Thumbs up!
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6/24/2020 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 89 Points
Our last bottle of 12 continues to deliver as all the others did over the last 3 years. Loads of citrus flavors of lemon and grapefruit, toasted walnuts, only a hint of butter, along with stern acidity. This was exquisite with our butter pan-seared scallops. This wine will continue drinking great for many more years.
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6/13/2020 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent
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5/23/2020 - maderay Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not too oaky or buttery
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5/18/2020 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
New house chardonnay. Wonderful QPR.
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2/11/2020 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Loads of citrus, yellow apple, pear, salty sea shells, vanilla, terrific balance and intensity. Great right now, but should be good for another 3-5 years.
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11/21/2019 - signotim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pure, balanced, elegant, and long
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10/23/2019 - cweiner Likes this wine: 90 Points
Our current house wine. Good QPR though the 14% is noticeable.
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10/23/2019 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Ripe fruit on the nose, pineapple and hazelnut. Roasted pineapple. And full on the palate but with enough acidity to take it on home.
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10/10/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
2019 Hennepin Lake Charity Event (Minneapolis, MN): 4th time I have sampled and at a big tasting event this stood out amongst the Chardonnays due to the balance it possesses. Apple, pear, stone orchard fruits, minerals and lemon rind. Short to medium finish with good acidity. Consistent with other tastings of they wine.
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10/7/2019 - GoBlue2002 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Mineral, tropical fruit, touch of oak, pineapple,
Well balanced with good length on the finish.
This went down quick and paired very well with a bacon stuffed acorn squash.
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10/5/2019 - slabslovin Likes this wine: 92 Points
solid, flavorful california chardonnay. nothing not to like here.
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8/21/2019 - Baron Slick wrote: 92 Points
Another beautiful wine from Sta. Rita Hills. It’s very Chablis like in its bright, floral, saline-infused lemon, pear, and mineral aromas and flavors. Deft use of oak provides just a wisp of Nilla wafer complexity while vibrant acidity gives this a mouthwatering succulence. Really tasty.
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8/21/2019 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent with my first bottle in February. A great value.
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5/17/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
Solid with pear, apple, spice, lemon and minerals. Very elegant Chard and not much oak. Crowd pleaser.
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5/9/2019 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Moslty Oregon and Burgundy (Kevin and Vicki's house): There is good acidity to this and slight oak. Overall, it is relatively elegant for California. Towards that end, the palate is slightly thin.
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5/4/2019 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Pinots and Salmon (Rocknroller's (Kevin & Vicki's Place)): Light gold color. Drank a small glass on day two over 20 minutes. Floral notes, lemon blossoms, brine, nice earthiness, minerals and saline, lemon. Good.
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5/4/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Salmon and Pinot Noir at Rocknrollers (Minneapolis, MN): Day 1: Lemon, spice, mild oak, vanilla and wafer. Good acidity and complex wine. Medium plus finish. 92 points
Day 2: Solid with lemon, spice, vanilla, wafer and citrus. Not a powerhouse Chardonnay and certainly not a White Burg but very enjoyable wine. 91 points
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4/29/2019 - pakabear Likes this wine: 91 Points
Loads of citrus and minerals, intense yet balanced, very good overall, maybe not quite as good as my previous bottles. Drinking well as a PnP but still has some years ahead of it.
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3/7/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Similar to prior note; very good
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2/22/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 92 Points
Delicious freshness and acidity. Very nice length. Great value
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2/8/2019 - spicy1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
First Brewer Clifton and I am thinking it is even better than the reviews. No obvious oak or butter. Instead I find a Burgundy mix of mineral driven fruit with some seashell and a hint of smoke. Consistent over three nights without any decant.
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1/20/2019 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Day 1: Saline, lemon rind, grapefruit and spices. Very simple overall and really disappointed. Palate/finish picks up a bitter quality that is not too appealing. Glad I only bought one bottle. 85 points
Day 2: Why I love the 3 Day Wine Review approach. Paned off as a dude on day 1 this is significantly better on day 2. Vibrant nose of lemon, shell, spice and tangerine. Palate picks up some nice oak/vanilla flavoring and is quite complex. Good acidity and medium plus finish. This would go great with lobster. 91 points
Day 3: Beautiful. Lemon, shells, tangerine and orange peel. Chablis like. Medium finish and good acidy. Quite a transformation over day 1 to 2 and 3. Buy this! 92 points
Recommendation: If you are drinking this on day 1 hold for 2 to 3 years. If you drink it over 3 days you will see an amazing transformation.
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12/21/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP; very nice, drink or hold (but not long)
Better on day 2 (raised score). Med. gold, creamy pineapple with nice acidity, will last at least a couple of yrs.
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12/20/2018 - Glencoewine Likes this wine: 90 Points
Lots of fruit upfront - pineapple, apple, with a moderate amount of oak. A tad sweet without being cloying. Held up well on second day. Very good QPR. Not my typical style as I prefer RRV, but this was a nice wine, especially at the price point.
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12/2/2018 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nice.
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9/4/2018 - cweiner Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just hitting all the notes for me.
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7/25/2018 - pakabear wrote:
Second day, about the same as the first day, held together pretty well. Drink over the next 3-5 years.
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7/24/2018 - pakabear wrote: 92 Points
Again the intense citrus and salty sea shells, nice round texture, great balance. Really nice for the price.
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7/22/2018 - gmbdds wrote: 89 Points
Pineapple and juicy citrus notes. Somewhat heavy on oak but maintains a lighter mouthfeel.
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7/7/2018 - ESTEELE90 Likes this wine:
Pnp from magnum. Pours a golden straw color in the glass. Nose and palate are overtly oaky upfront showing hidden notes of lemon, apple and crisp minerals. This is very clearly in a dumb phase right now as it is out of whack, backwards, and never opens up or changes with several hours of time. Sad as this was quite a nice wine last year. Hopefully in another two years this will swing back around.
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6/19/2018 - TessaJC Likes this wine:
Not a Chardonnay fan and normally prefer Chablis style. But this is fantastic. Barely there Chardonnay, creamy but nice tropical fruit profile. Medium body. Enough acidity to cut through fatty fare. Pared w a southern biscuit made w Benton’s bacon and ramp butter. Definitely a repeat!
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6/10/2018 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely Chard. Very good acidity with apple and citrus notes. Minimal oak with nice mouthfeel.
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6/10/2018 - maxbyfuglinjr wrote: 90 Points
Very good Chardonnay. Super tasty
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6/8/2018 - mpsocal Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is a very good bottle of Chardonnay. Pear notes with a hint of lemon, a touch of oak also.
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6/2/2018 - seijaro wrote: 87 Points
There must be some pretty serious bottle variation here, or I got a bad lot that got cooked in shipping. We tried a bottle back in May and really liked it, gave it 93 and a rave review here. I immediately bought more... so far we have had three of them and have been quite disappointed: not a lot of flavor, some astringency. What a shame.
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5/24/2018 - alohashirt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bright yellow fruit, plenty of oak but not buttery. Very nice but not amazing.
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5/12/2018 - seijaro Likes this wine: 93 Points
A lovely mid-weight Chard, full of varietal flavor. Moderate oak, plenty of butter and caramel. This is a real buy at $25 and a crowd pleaser you can serve to anybody at any level. A wonderful lunch wine.
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5/10/2018 - Doblk wrote: flawed
Dark gold. Nice viscosity and mouth feel. Very well put together rich style CA Chardonnay. Good with a roast chicken. As good as many higher priced wines.
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5/8/2018 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
House favorite until it is gone.
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2/6/2018 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 92 Points
What a treat to revisit this wine. Last one currently in the cellar and I wanted to confirm my previous notes before possibly getting more. The juice is a bit more nuanced and complex, IMHO, than most CT writers express, but that's what makes wine such a personal experience. Highly recommend, especially if the price is right.
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1/28/2018 - sdrum Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good intensity, but not buttery. I get some notes.
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1/20/2018 - Wineorr wrote: 91 Points
Another great value chardonnay from SRH. Slightly different than the Wrath I reviewed earlier in that the Brewer Clifton is more toward the citrus side of the grape with single dimension fruit and a bit more acidity. Lemon zest dominates but not in an overpowering way with subtle notes honey, orange, and apricot. A solid value.
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12/31/2017 - Schiffy Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very good but simple Chardonnay with its straw yellow color and a dominant flavor of lemon zest. Subtle notes of tropical fruits and the slight hint of a buttery note on the finish. Great value for the money.
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12/24/2017 - Bob in NC Likes this wine: 89 Points
Not a rich or buttery Chard, which made it a great pairing with Bob's crab cakes with it's lemon, stone dust minerality and stern acidity on the finish.
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12/22/2017 - Tahlequahdave1972 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Chardonnays from California represent some of the better values coming from that region, especially the Santa Rita Hills, the Sonoma Coast and the Santa Lucia Highlands, with many more areas to explore. This was our first wine from Brewer Clifton and the results were recorded as "two thumbs up." There was much to like here, especially with an under $30 price tag. Straw to yellow gold in the glass with an expressive nose of tropical fruits, jasmine and a touch of lemon-lime zest. Flavors of green apple, apricot, very slight buttery oak and river rock complemented a rich, medium-full mouthfeel that was big and somewhat acidic without being overpowering. Very well balanced with a slightly salty mineral texture holding in check any fruit forward tendencies ending with a generous, moderately long finish. A wonderful lush wine and an excellent QPR with some aging potential.
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11/24/2017 - Fateful Destiny wrote: 89 Points
Hi acid Chardonnay. It was just OK - not remarkable
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11/24/2017 - Mr T wrote:
solid if a a bit young
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11/8/2017 - pkatz Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice flavors, pleasant, perhaps a little more acidity.
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11/1/2017 - cweiner Likes this wine: 92 Points
Continues as the house favorite. Just ordered another case.
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10/29/2017 - BrunelloBob wrote: 91 Points
Some butter, but not cringe-worthy. Good length. Beautiful Wife likes, I don't hate it.
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10/25/2017 - europat55 wrote: 92 Points
Nose: A-/A Palate: B++
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10/14/2017 - Helenachuck Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a fine Chardonnay. Pale wheat color, clear and bright. Nose of varietal fruit, faint lemon peel, mineral, apricot, barest hint of oak, rich and integrated but not fat. The palate is broad, shows tropical fruit but in a tighter, controlled manner; has richness and minerals both, and really nice length in the finish. My wife gets some butter, I do not. This is my first Brewer-Clifton wine, and it is an impressive introduction.
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10/14/2017 - WineTally Likes this wine:
Founded In 1995 by Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton
Blend of 3D, Acin and Machado vineyards.
Vineyard Manager: Francisco Ramirez
Whole Cluster pressed; spontaneous malolactic fermentation.
12-18 months in neutral Sirugue barrels.
Winemaker: Greg Brewer
A(ccuracy)=2: Med straw/gold. Low key citrus floral, yeasty varietal.
B(alance) =2: Distinctive components. Bit shy on vibrancy.
C(omplexity)=2: Ripe citrus, jasmine, hint of saline minerality.
D(epth) = 2: Rich and round.
Wine Tally Score [2,2,2,2] = 8/10
Generous savors can use a boost of vibrancy.
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10/2/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Second bottle of this, great value again, crisp citrus, medium+ acidity, salty minerality, great balance. Really nice wine.
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9/25/2017 - cweiner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely- 2 bottles, consistent.
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9/22/2017 - jmull Likes this wine: 92 Points
Delicious and already quite well integrated. There's a varietal essence here that evokes Burgundy. Walks the line well between rich/unctuous and food friendly. Thought this was the second best Chard we tried on our Santa Barbara trip in June (behind only Crawford Family) and it lived up to that here, and then some. 92+
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9/17/2017 - PinotPaul Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very decent.
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9/11/2017 - pakabear Likes this wine: 92 Points
Heavy citrus, minerals, salty sea shells, very intensity with good balance, needs a year or 2.
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8/20/2017 - MicklethePickle Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gotta say, this is good but it's no 95, JD. Pretty burnished golden yellow. Nose: nice green apple and lemon fruit. Fresh. Even better in the mouth, there is good, full fruit, mainly apple, and the balance is impressive, has good structure and cut. I could see this aging nicely for a few years. Good value at $29, but no way this is a 95-point wine. 4-12-17-8: 91/100.
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8/19/2017 - srh Likes this wine:
Taste Wines for CA's Central Coast (San Diego Wine Co.): A bit too cold
A blend of their 3D, Machado, Acin, & Hapgood Vyds, ea lot being handled uniformly but separately; Whole cluster pressed with only neutral barrels employed; "We don’t promote or prohibit malolactic fermentation, allowing wine to be in balance, bright, & elegant." 14% ABV
N: Smoky oak & asparagus, poss with a hint of mercaptans?
P: Med, poss MF, body; Rndish entry with almost swtish oak/frt VERY nicely balanced by acidity, leading into a LONG, VERY slightly tangy/swt finish. P currently *much* better than the N. 95 pts Dunnuck, 92 ea WA & Vinous (Galloni), and 91 WE (12/31/17) @ $40. [As of mid Mar '20, wine-searcher still shows numerous sources from $30-$36].
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6/25/2017 - fred o. Likes this wine:
from magnum. golden color, aromatic nose with lemon/lime and a slight petrol note with time, palate rich/lush but balanced with great acidity, some minerals, I couldn't taste obvious oak but other tasters noted it, easy to drink especially chilled. Really nice, I thought it was well-crafted. 91 pts
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6/25/2017 - ESTEELE90 Likes this wine:
No formal notes on this one. From magnum. Lemon yellow color in the glass. Primary nose and palate of citrus, crushed rock, minerals and lightly toasted oak. Seems like it only went through malo partially. Good acidity and round lush midpalate made this a nice drink in the blistering heat outside this afternoon in LA.
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5/4/2017 - Christoffer78 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Being just a baby, this effort certainly provides a lot of pleasure tonight too. The palate of course delivers massive ripe and very elegant fruit with lemon and zest as major components accompanied by beautiful colza and tons of minerals - which actually appears as sandy seaweed when drying up in the sun... Texture and structure is lovely and adds to the overall component. There is enough power here to make this effort age gracefully for a decade or perhaps more. The number one keyword for the palate is balance. Based on experience from previous vintages I am confident integration will come with some rest in the cellar. A lovely wine!
Tasted in a flight with 2009, 2012 and 2015 Brewer-Clifton S:ta Rita Hills Chardonnay.
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3/22/2017 - K-Web24 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Tasted with winemaker, Greg Brewer, at a local wine store. Color is a pale, pale yellow. Intense nose of lemon and citrus. Palate of mandarin oranges, lime juice, and sea salt. Medium finish with a little more fruit than acid.
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11/11/2016 - tomoem wrote:
Had at CBCC wine tasting alongside the following:
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9/8/2016 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Two single sites, dude behind this formalized the AVA. This is about 500 six packs in production, whole bunch pressing. Has that big apricot fruit thing of lots of sunshine on Chardonnay but also remains crisp and tight on the back. May or may not have gone through malo. Generally its only about 5% malo.
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